How to switch your real estate CRM without losing leads

Want to switch CRMs without losing momentum? You're not alone. Every year, hundreds of real estate teams face the challenge of juggling a full-scale system upgrade—without dropping the ball on day-to-day follow up.

We’re here to help with a step-by-step guide for a smooth transition.

Signs it's time to change your CRM

Before diving into the how, let's confirm the why. If you're seeing any of these common CRM red flags, it's probably time to make a change:

• Past clients aren't getting any love
• Buyer leads get awkward duplicate emails
• Hot listings go to the wrong lead groups
• New agents can't find client history
• Follow-up starts to slip during transactions

Switching CRMs feels like a huge mountain to climb. But when you do it right, the view from the top is more than worth it.

"We were on a system for over 10 years. I did not want to switch. But once we did, it really made a difference. We were able to automate and the integrations changed everything." — Becky Garcia, Becky Garcia Group

Make your switch in 5 simple steps

At Follow Up Boss, we've refined our migration process to be simple and stress-free, with expert guidance every step of the way.

Here are our top tips based on thousands of successful migrations.

1. Plan your timeline strategically

Just like your daily workflows need consistency, your migration also needs a structured timeline for the team to follow.

The key is choosing a window that allows you to make the change, without disrupting your core business. Here's when to make your move:

• Target a slower business period
• Plan for 2-3 weeks of transition
• Build in a 30-day buffer for unexpected issues

"If you want it to be efficient, it has to be a duplicatable process that you follow day in and day out—then you can deviate where you need to." — Shannon Youssefi, Whissel Realty

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2. Clean your database before moving

Having organized data means you can finally see who's doing what and make sure everyone's staying on top of their game.

Pick your data champion and let them handle the details:

• Remove duplicate contacts
• Update contact information
• Standardize tags
• Archive inactive leads

“We look at Follow Up Boss now as our epicenter of people. Anything about our clients is in there: all previous transactions, anniversary dates, birthdays. Everything is recorded there.” — Jordan Quaresma, Quaresma Realty Group

➡️Making the move to FUB? It's easy to import contacts straight into Follow Up Boss.

3. Map out existing workflows

You need a clear blueprint for how your business runs before changing things up. Take a minute to write down your lead sources, follow-up game plan, which reports matter most, and any other critical tools you're using.

Document your current:

• Lead gen strategy: Sources, routing rules, and assignments
• Nurture tracks: Email drips, text campaigns, and call scripts
• Communication channels: Internal messaging and handoffs
• Analytics: Daily, weekly, and monthly reporting needs
• Tech stack: Current integrations and data flows

“FUB gave us backend control over lead flow management," says Chris VanderValk, COO of Whissel Realty. Learn how the mega team closes up to 42 transactions per day while staying on the ball with follow up. Read their full success story.

4. Train your team early

As with any new strategy, your team will follow your lead. Show them you're excited about the change, then back it up with solid training and support.

Drive adoption with:

• Video tutorials and documentation
• Training based on real conversations
• Quick-reference guides for common tasks
• Clear expectations for usage

💡 Pro tip: Keep agents motivated by showing them how many appointments they’re booking with the new system. With a standardized appointment form, you can automatically trigger calendar invites for agents and immediately update your team whiteboard with new appointments coming in.

“Training needs to happen repetitively. You're going to feel like you're hitting the same old gong over and over again. But when everyone in the room starts rolling their eyes and making jokes about ‘this thing again’—that's when you know you've done your job." — Justin Benson, Bara Agency

5. Import your data with expert help

Let our migration experts handle the heavy lifting. When you choose Follow Up Boss, you'll get a dedicated success coach to help with everything from importing contacts to setting up your custom lead flow.

We'll work together on:

• Free contact imports
• Connecting integrations
• Lead source setup and verification
• Team access configuration
• Smart List customization

Tips for a successful migration

Over the years, we've learned what works (and what doesn't). Here's your cheatsheet of do's and don'ts to keep your migration on track.

Don't:

• Rush your timeline
• Skip team training
• Move “messy” data
• Ignore integration tests
• Clone your old system

Do:

• Set realistic deadlines
• Invest in team training
• Clean data first
• Test everything
• Build better workflows

Pro tips from top teams

Our highest-performing users swear by these strategies:

Run parallel systems for the first 2 weeks

• Keep your old CRM active while learning the new one
• Compare results between systems
• Create Smart Lists to catch any missed leads or follow-ups

Prioritize your hot leads

• Move active deals and conversations first
• Transfer warm leads next
• Import historical data last

Test everything twice

• Verify all integration connections
• Check automated emails and texts
• Confirm lead routing rules

Keep communication flowing

• Schedule daily 5-minute team huddles
• Share wins and troubleshoot issues
• Track adoption progress together

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Don’t go it alone

No two real estate businesses are the same. Your Follow Up Boss success coach will create a custom migration plan and handle the technical details, so you can focus on what matters most—growing your business.

With Follow Up Boss, your success team includes:

• Dedicated migration coach
• 7-days-a-week phone and email support
• US-based product experts
• Unlimited training sessions

You'll get a complete implementation plan, plus hands-on support to execute it flawlessly. We handle everything from free contact imports to custom Action Plans and lead routing setup—ensuring no lead gets left behind during your transition.

Start your 14-day free trial today and get paired with a dedicated success coach who'll help you hit your goals faster.